Browning AB3
- Category
- Rifle
- Barrel
- 559 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.98 kg
- Introduced
- 2014
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Browning AB3 is a value-priced bolt-action centerfire hunting rifle introduced in 2014. It uses a barrel built to the same standards as Browning's premium X-Bolt, paired with a short-action receiver, a free-floating sporter-contour barrel, a 60-degree bolt lift for fast cycling, a detachable box magazine, and a top-tang safety with a bolt unlock override. The AB3 delivers X-Bolt-class accuracy at an entry-level price and is offered in both composite-stock and walnut Hunter configurations.
Browning positioned the AB3 as a budget alternative to its higher-end X-Bolt and A-Bolt rifles, putting an X-Bolt-grade barrel on a simpler, lower-cost receiver to compete in the entry-level hunting market.
AB3 stands for 'A-Bolt 3', positioning the rifle as a more affordable evolution of the discontinued A-Bolt line. Like most Browning bolt rifles, the AB3 is manufactured for Browning by Miroku in Japan.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Browning Arms Company
- Category
- Rifle
- Country
- United States
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2014
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 559 mm
- Overall length
- 1067 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.98 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Bolt action
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single action
- Capacity
- 4
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Matte blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 838 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 3412 J
- Effective range
- 500 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Free floating barrel
60 degree bolt lift
Detachable box magazine
Sporter contour barrel
Drilled and tapped
Inflex recoil pad
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 157 .308 Winchester rifles | 2.98 kg | 3.22 kg | Lighter than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 146 .308 Winchester rifles | 1067 mm | 1067 mm | Near the median |
| Barrel lengthAmong 166 .308 Winchester rifles | 559 mm | 559 mm | Near the median |
| Magazine capacityAmong 162 .308 Winchester rifles | 4 | 5 | Holds fewer rounds than about 60% |
Answers
Questions about the Browning AB3
How much does the Browning AB3 weigh?
The Browning AB3 weighs 2.98 kg (6.56 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Browning AB3?
The Browning AB3 is chambered in .308 Winchester.
How many rounds does the Browning AB3 hold?
The Browning AB3 holds 4 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Browning AB3?
The Browning AB3 is 1067 mm (42.0 in) long overall, with a 559 mm (22.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Browning AB3?
The Browning AB3 is made by Browning Arms Company (United States). It was designed by Browning Arms Company.
When was the Browning AB3 introduced?
The Browning AB3 was introduced in 2014.
How does the Browning AB3 operate?
The Browning AB3 uses a bolt action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Civilian hunters and sport shooters
- United States
Provenance
Confidence in this record
84%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/browning-ab3' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "browning-ab3", "name": "Browning AB3", "manufacturer": { "id": "browning", "name": "Browning Arms Company", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1878, "website": "https://www.browning.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:43", "version": "5d8cf4fb4b938ebaed9e76da3c57ad4cd9f27d22ee35d8b2265942435fbb875c" }, "category": { "id": "rifle", "name": "Rifle", "description": "Long-barreled firearms designed for accurate shooting" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 2014, "barrel_length_mm": 559, "weight_empty_g": 2977, "action_type": "bolt_action"}